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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Boeing said on September 24, 2025, that it planned to begin relocating F/A-18 Super Hornet Service Life Modification (SLM) work from the St. Louis region in 2026 and end all St. Louis-based SLM work in 2027. San Antonio and Jacksonville were being studied as possible sites, but Boeing did not announce a final destination. The plan concerns upgrades to existing aircraft—not the Super Hornet’s new-build production line.
Where is Boeing moving the Super Hornet upgrade work?
Boeing had not selected or publicly announced a final destination in its September 24, 2025 announcement. It said case studies would begin at San Antonio and Jacksonville as it considered multiple sites. Those locations should be treated as candidates under study, not confirmed recipients of all the work.
| Location | What Boeing’s announcement establishes |
|---|---|
| San Antonio | Boeing already performs SLM there; the company said it would begin a case study for the potential relocation. |
| Jacksonville | Boeing said it would begin a case study there. Jacksonville also performs other F/A-18 modification work, which is not the same as confirming a destination for SLM. |
| San Diego | Boeing performs SLM with the U.S. Navy at Fleet Readiness Center Southwest (FRC Southwest). The announcement does not identify San Diego as a new relocation destination. |
Boeing’s September 24, 2025 announcement is the source for the candidates, existing work locations and schedule.
When is the work expected to move?
Boeing’s stated schedule was to start relocating the work in 2026 and finish all St. Louis-based SLM work in 2027. That is a planned transition, not evidence that the move has since been completed. Boeing projected the broader SLM effort to continue through the mid-2030s, so the St. Louis departure is not the end of the upgrade program.
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What does F/A-18 Service Life Modification do?
SLM upgrades existing Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets. Boeing says the work adds Block III capabilities and 4,000 flight hours; it also says all Block II Super Hornets that undergo SLM can receive the Block III capability suite. The 4,000-hour figure describes Boeing’s stated service-life addition from the modification, not a guarantee of a particular aircraft’s remaining service or operating schedule. See Boeing’s description of the SLM program.
Why is Boeing moving the work out of St. Louis?
Boeing attributed the planned relocation to expansion and transition plans at its St. Louis site. Dan Gillian, Boeing’s vice president and general manager of Air Dominance and senior St. Louis site executive, said the site’s expansion plans had triggered a multi-year strategic plan that required relocating some work. This is the company’s stated rationale; Boeing’s announcement does not say that one specific building or parcel alone prompted the change.
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There is broader local development context. St. Louis Lambert International Airport’s project information describes airport expansion for defense-related aircraft assembly and flight testing. The airport page documents site development, but it is not an announcement about where Boeing will perform SLM.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How this differs from Super Hornet production
The planned relocation covers SLM work on existing Super Hornets, not the aircraft’s new-build production line. Boeing’s 2023 release discussed production ending while modernization and capability upgrades continued for the global F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler fleet. That distinction matters: moving sustainment and upgrade work between sites does not mean Boeing announced a new production line or a change to the aircraft’s production status. The 2023 release is available from Boeing.
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